Apparatuses and methods for treating scoliosis have been practiced for many years. However, these generally involve heavy and bulky braces. Furthermore these braces tended to be so large and restrictive that patients had difficulty performing normal functions while wearing them, or found the braces so uncomfortable or embarrassing that patients refused to wear them.
Attempts to overcome these difficulties included cutting a hole in the brace material over the stomach to allow the wearer greater freedom to breathe. However many difficulties with the apparatus remained.
Traditional methods of using the brace are equally burdensome for users, and difficult for practitioners to implement. Braces used are not adjustable, have a closed design which increases the brace's weight and heat retention.
Furthermore, because braces are not adjustable, users have the same treatment whether asleep, when more aggressive treatment is possible, and awake, when more aggressive treatment is very painful.